Wire stretcher



Dec. 5, 1939. w, HATFlELD 2,182,148

Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNiTED STATES WIRE STRETCHER William F. Hatfield, Lovilia, Iowa Application January 3,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the class of pushing and pulling and pertains particularly to an improved wire stretching implement. I

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a wire stretching implement which may be conveniently employed by one person for a the pulling and stapling of wire to a post or other supporting structure without the use of the usual procedure of chaining or fastening the wire stretcher to the post, the present stretcher being of a character whereby it can be conveniently manipulated by merely engaging one portion against a post, and held in place to retain the wire under stretched condition, by resting the body against the implement while the operation of stapling the wire into place is carried out.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved wire stretcher which operates to draw the wire past the post to which it is to be attached and to hold the wire in this position while the stapling operation is being performed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a stretcher which can be easily and quickly attached to the wire and coupled with the post or other fixed structure which is used as a fulcrum point and in which an adjustment may be readily made of the wire gripping part of the device upon a supporting bar, such adjustment being firmly held by the imposition of pull or strain on the wire gripping portion of the implement.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of the implement embodying the present invention, showing the same in operative position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral i designates a post, while the numeral 2 designates a wire which is being drawn across the post so that it may be at- 1939, Serial No. 249,070

tached thereto, such wire being shown in the grip of the stretching implement.

The implement embodying the present invention comprises a fiat bar 3 of suitable length which, at one end, is formed to provide the handle or hand grip portion 4 while at the other or fulcrum end it is tapered off and shaped to provide a pointed nose or spur 5 which may be employed for the two-foldpurpose of anchoring the end of the bar to the post and also for the purpose of extracting staples. For this latter use, the spur or nose is arcuately formed so that when the point is introduced through a staple the convex side can be used as a rocker to effect the pulling use of the staple.

Adjacent the fulcrum end of the bar there is extended through the flat sides, a pin 8 which serves asa movement limiting stop for a yoke I through which the fiat bar 3 passes. This yoke is of U-shape and has the side members 8 thereof extended beyond the narrow edge of the bar so that a pivot bolt 9 may be extended through these ends and transversely of the bar edge. This bolt is also in spaced relation with the bar edge when the top of the yoke is in contact with the opposite edge of the bar.

Pivotally supported upon the pin 9 is a gripping jaw lever 10, the end of this lever nearest the adjacent edge of the bar being rounded off to form a gripping jaw H so that this jaw may be rocked from a position where it extends substantially perpendicular to the bar, rearwardly or toward the handle so as to free the face there-- of from contact with the bar 3 whereby the yoke I 1 may be shifted longitudinally on the bar.

The jaw lever [0 has connected therewith through the medium of the chain links 12, one end of the elongated link i3. The other end of this long link I3 is pivotally attached, as at M, with a rock member 15 which has a head portion it; provided with a rounded peripheral portion ll which is toothed to form a wire gripping jaw surface. At one side of the jaw surface I! a guard plate [8 is disposed to extend in the plane of the adjacent side of the head, beyond the toothed surface I l. Extending through the head It eccentrically to the rounded jaw surface I"! is a pivot pin I 9 and secured to this pivot pin upon the sidev of the jaw head opposite from the guard plate I8 is an end of an arm 20 which has formed integral therewith the laterally extending fixed jaw 2! which projects over the toothed moving jaw surface IT. The other end of this arm carries a yoke or loop 22 through which the elongated link 13 passes so that the position where it will uncover the fixed jaw and permit the wire to be inserted so as to extend across the end of the arm 20 and the gripping surface of the fixed jaw 2|. By then shifting the arm 23 forwardly on the link R3, the jaws will'be brought into wire gripping relation. The yoke i may then be adjusted by loosening the jaw ll j and after the proper adjustment has been made,

by applying the pointed end of the bar against the post and oscillating the bar with the point as a fulcrum, the desired pulling action can be applied to the wire. It will be readily seen that with the arrangement of the several parts as shown, when the bar 3 is fulcrumed against a post the one force will operate to lock and securely hold both of the gripping jaw, units. That is, it will effect a pulling forward of the jaw lever i ii so as to force the jaw i i into firm contact with the bar 3 and it will pull the link H3 in a direction to oscillate the rock member 15 so 'as to bring about a firm gripping action "upon the wire. After the wire has been drawn to the desired degree of tautness, it may be so held by leaning the body against the handle portion of the lever while a securing staple is driven into the post over the wire.

By making the nose or point 5 of the lever in v ment may also be advantageously employed as a staple puller as will be readily seen.

I claim:

1. A wire stretching implement comprising a lever bar adapted to have one end serve as a fulcrum, a yoke movable longitudinally on the bar, a wire gripping clamp, and means coupling the wire gripping clampwith said yoke which is so constructed and arranged that upon swinging of the bar on said fulcrum point when the clamp is engaged with a wire, the said yoke will be firmly clamped to the bar to be secured in an adjusted position thereon.

2. A wire stretching implement of the character described comprising a bar member formed at one end to provide a fulcrum point, a yoke slidable on the bar, a lever pivotally attached to the yoke, said lever having an end, formed to provide a jaw adapted to be brought into contact with the bar upon swinging of the lever in one direction, and a wire gripping clamp coupled with the lever upon the side of the pivotal center therefor opposite from said jaw.

3. A wire stretching implement comprising a bar member having one end reduced and formed to provide an arouate pointed fulcrum, a sub"- stantially U-shaped yoke'having said bar disposed therein, the yoke being adapted for sliding, 

